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As a blogger, you want to create original and valuable content for your audience. And you know the quality of your article have a significant impact on your feed sign up rate. We may admit, also, that quality is a subjective concept. However, there is an element that may be considered as totally objective in term of quality: the structure.

Your article structure have an impact on the quality of your content and have a significant influence on the perception of your audience and your new visitors. You should agree on the fact that there is an infinite way to structure the same subject with the same ideas. Have you ever ask you why an article treating of a specific subject is successful and another one, treating of the same exact subject, isn’t so popular? One of the possible answers is the structure. Naturally, the human mind needs some structure to make things understandable. So if you want to make your article a little bit stronger, I would recommend you to follow some simple rules. Note that these are general rules that may not apply on every article. You are the best judge of that!

The rules

1. Drop all your ideas on paper. Dropping all your ideas on paper will let you organize your ideas into some divisions or some categories. It also may help you to find secondary ideas from your main ideas. I would say that this step may seem very simple – and it is – but it is also the most critical, because it will determine your article structure plan. Take the time to create a good plan. A great strategy to create a good plan is to do it with iterations. This means that you make a first draft. Then, you revise it from A to Z by modifying the order or the ideas. You can do that 4 or five times until you get something you will be proud of. You will notice that your article it much easier to write when you have a good article structure plan.

2. Introduce your subject and your main ideas properly. This is a simple rule that everyone may know. In fact, this is the introduction of your article and I guess you already do it. However, are you doing it in an efficient way? You must be aware that the impact of this part of your article is very significant. In reality, it may determine if your readers read the entire article or if they leave it after only few paragraphs. Creating an attractive introduction will encourage your reader to go further. Here are some points to consider:

    a) Create a context to your subject;
    b) Firmly establish how your article may be helpful for your readers (the benefits for them);
    c) Pricked their curiosity;
    d) Determine a goal to achieve;
    e) Expose the ideas you will develop throughout your article;

3. Use subtitles and explode your ideas. Using subtitles involve that you already make few subdivisions with your article. This is something that may help you to make a logical structure. This should have been made on your article structure plan. Also, create a single paragraph for each idea you develop. There must be no more than 1 idea per paragraph. This will clarify your article and make it easier to read. For example, you may have something like this:

4. Summarize for your audience. This part of you article must be inline with your introduction and the development of your ideas. It must demonstrate that the goal of you article have been achieved. Try to specifically target your article summary for your audience. You need to demonstrate in a single paragraph the quality of your entire article. I would recommend to do a little recap with the context and to express how your main ideas create the benefits.

Summary

The perception your visitors will have on the quality of your content will have a significant impact on the success of your blog. We determined that the article structure is an essential element to consider. In fact, a structured article is more understandable and easier to read. By raising the quality of your article, you will also raise the authority perception people have for your blog. Don’t underestimate the value of a well structured article and always remember that writing an article is doing the road with each of your reader: your introduction must convince him that the goal and the benefits worth to walk the road with you (reading). Your development may clearly demonstrate the value of your ideas and keep the curiosity present. Your conclusion must demonstrate that the goal has been achieved; the landscape must have worth the walk!

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This entry was posted on Wednesday, March 26th, 2008 at 5:20 am and is filed under Writing. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.